Liberty sophomore running back Evan Dickens is officially entering the NCAA transfer portal, his agency confirmed. One of the most productive runners in the country this season, Dickens immediately becomes one of the top available backs in the 2026 cycle and a player Arkansas should aggressively pursue.
The former Georgia Tech transfer exploded in 2025, finishing 5th nationally in rushing yards (1,339) and scoring 16 touchdowns on 5.8 yards per carry across just 11 games. His blend of burst, vision, and consistency turned Liberty’s offense into a weekly headache for opponents, and his statistical résumé stacks up against nearly any running back in the nation.
A Nationally Elite Season
Dickens’ 2025 campaign puts him in rare air:
- No. 3 nationally in rushing yards per game (121.7)
- No. 4 in rushing touchdowns (16) and total touchdowns (17)
- No. 5 in total rushing yards (1,339)
- No. 7 in all-purpose yards (127.27 per game)
- No. 10 in scoring (9.3 points per game)
He also recorded three 200-yard rushing games, setting a single-season school record. His 16 rushing touchdowns rank second in Liberty history, and his rushing-yard total ranks third all-time. Dickens has proven he can handle volume, produce efficiently, and carry an offense, traits that translate seamlessly to Power 4 football.
Now, after beginning his career at Georgia Tech, Dickens is ready to return to the sport’s highest level for 2026.
Why Arkansas Should Make Dickens a Top Priority
With Arkansas losing starting running back Mike Washington Jr. to exhausted eligibility, the Razorbacks need a feature back to anchor their first season under new head coach Ryan Silverfield. Dickens is as close to a plug-and-play solution as the portal offers.
He could be this year’s Kewan Lacy, the Missouri transfer who went to Ole Miss and became one of college football’s breakout stars with 1,279 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns, powering one of the nation’s most dangerous offenses and helping propel the Rebels to the College Football Playoff.
Lacy showed what adding an elite, underrated running back can do for a program’s trajectory. Arkansas should take that lesson to heart. With the Razorbacks reportedly bolstering their NIL resources, this is the type of high-impact talent they should be targeting.
A Perfect Fit in Silverfield and Cramsey’s Offense
Silverfield’s Memphis offenses consistently leaned on the ground game, averaging 186.08 rushing yards per game in 2025 ranking 36th in the nation. He brought offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey with him to Fayetteville, ensuring a similar system built on physicality, tempo, and attacking the line of scrimmage.
Silverfield has emphasized that Arkansas will be tough, physical, and built from the trenches outward, exactly the kind of environment where Dickens thrives.
A powerful, efficient runner who can handle a heavy workload showing that with his 229 carries this year. Dickens fits perfectly into the SEC’s grind-it-out style and would give Arkansas the offensive identity it needs in Year 1 of the new era.
With elite production, proven durability, and Power 4 experience already under his belt, Evan Dickens is one of the most underrated players in the portal and arguably the best running back available.
For a Razorback team needing a new offensive centerpiece and embracing a physical identity, Dickens checks every box. If Arkansas wants to make a splash and accelerate its rebuild under Silverfield, this is the move to make.